The United States opted for the first time ever not to criticize the human rights record of the Islamic Republic of Iran during the 48th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Jan. 24 in Geneva.
The abstention contrasted with significant criticisms leveled at Iran by several member states, who denounced the regime’s ongoing use of violence against women, its crushing restrictions on freedoms, its excessive use of the death penalty and its involvement in Russia’s war with Ukraine.
The UPR is a UN entity which carries out regular reviews of the human rights records of all 193 UN member states. More than 100 member states issued recommendations about how Iran could improve the state of human rights there, while more than 20 countries called on Iran’s government to end Its use of the death penalty.
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The decision by the US not to comment on the regime’s rights record in the country is likely to have been influenced by the inauguration of US President Donald Trump. Speaking exclusively to Fox News on Jan. 23, Trump said the only thing he would insist upon was that Iran “can’t have a nuclear weapon.” He did not signal any intention of pushing for regime change or attacking Iran.
At the UPR, the United Kingdom asked Iran to ensure that individuals had: “a fair trial consistent with obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including access to a lawyer of their choosing,” and to provide “access to Human Rights Council mandate holders, including the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
“Regarding cooperation with the special rapporteur, Iran, while respecting the recently appointed special rapporteur [Dr. Mai Sato] on the situation of human rights, views the appointment of a country-specific special rapporteur as a politically motivated measure that is part of an ongoing campaign against Iran,” the Islamic Republic said.
Other recommendations included a call to Iran from the Philippines to: “further pursue judicial reforms including the possibility of implementing a moratorium on the death penalty, especially concerning minors.” Several other states including Israel also demanded that Iran put an end to its use of the death penalty for children.
Iran’s involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war was also raised, with Ukraine accusing Iran of being complicit in war crimes.
“As long as Iran continues to support Russia in its brutal armed aggression against Ukraine, as long as Iranian missiles and drones continue to kill innocent civilians and destroy civilian infrastructure in blatant violation of international humanitarian and human rights law, Iran bears full responsibility for enabling Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine,” Ukraine said.
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Switzerland then called on Iran to disband its morality police, a force which has been accused in recent years of committing acts of violence against women simply for failing to wear the hijab according to the country’s laws. The unit has been implicated in the deaths of several women, including 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died of injuries she sustained while in custody. Iran’s current legislation also enables the judiciary to sentence women to death for flouting the mandatory hijab.
“Germany remains deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Iran, particularly the extremely high number of people sentenced to death and subsequently executed,” Germany said.
The number of executions in Iran has risen every year since 2021. At least 900 people were executed in 2024. Additionally, at least 31 women in Iran were executed in 2024, the highest number executed by the Islamic Republic in more than 15 years, according to a January report published by the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights group (IHRNGO). The Islamic Republic is currently the world’s most prolific executioner of children, women and men on a per capita basis.
Iran was appointed to chair the Asia-Pacific Group, the largest regional group within the UNHRC on Jan. 22, which provides the state with a managerial role, guiding the group’s activities. The aim of the committee is to promote human rights across the region.
Past positions given to Iran at the UN have elicited a global outcry from human rights activists and member states, including the US.
The appointment of the Islamic Republic of Iran as chair for a UN rights meeting in 2023 caused Washington and human rights bodies to call the nomination “insulting,” citing human rights violations by Iran authorities, particularly against women. The election was also called an “affront to the collective conscience of the global community,” by the US.
Responding to questions and concerns about the state of human rights in Iran by states during the UPR, Iran said that it had made significant improvements.
Closing the session, Iran thanked the member states which expressed support for its efforts.
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